This disclosure relates to processing electronic signals transmitted through computer networks, and more specifically to detecting data in signals received from an originating data network and determining whether aspects of the data comply with rules stored in an electronic database at a reviewing network.
At least some known payment processing networks perform a payment authorization process to determine whether to authorize or decline a financial transaction initiated by a cardholder using a payment card at a merchant location. The payment authorization process is performed by a payment processor within a payment network that facilitates communication between an issuer bank and a merchant bank. More specifically, the payment processing network communicates with a merchant bank computer system and an issuer bank computer system to determine whether the financial transaction should be authorized or declined based on a status of the cardholder's account.
On occasion, the payment processor cannot communicate with the issuer bank computer system because it is offline, the connection times out, or is otherwise unavailable. Because the payment authorization process is performed within a single payment network, rather than being distributed across multiple payment networks, if the issuer bank computer system cannot be contacted, the payment network declines the transaction and the cardholder cannot purchase the desired goods or services. Accordingly, if a payment network is restricted from performing the payment authorization process within a certain jurisdiction, for certain types of transactions, and/or for certain parties to the transactions, for example, due to governmental restrictions, a first payment network is unable to delegate the processes to a second payment network that is not subject to the same restrictions and oversee their performance by the second payment network.